Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived on Friday in Kyiv where he will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Officials in India and Ukraine say the visit will focus on boosting economic ties and co-operation in defence, science and technology, although analysts believe it could also be an attempt to have India strike a more neutral stance after what has been seen as a lean towards Russia.
Ukrainian media reported that Mr Modi met representatives of the Indian diaspora after arriving. The crowd gathered around the Indian prime minister cheering “Modi, Modi, Modi”.
Reached Kyiv earlier this morning. The Indian community accorded a very warm welcome. pic.twitter.com/oYEV71BTlv
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 23, 2024
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“The Indian community accorded a very warm welcome,” he said on the social media platform X.
The chief of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, called the visit “historic” and emphasised Kyiv’s expectation that India could play a role in ending the war between Russia and Ukraine with a “just peace”.
“We respect India as a very big democracy in the world and a powerful country,” Mr Yermak said in an interview with India Today. “But now it’s necessary to say who is the aggressor, who is the victim.”
Before arriving in Ukraine, Mr Modi called for diplomatic efforts to end the war during a visit to Poland on Thursday, pledging India’s support and saying no conflict can be solved on a battlefield.
His arrival came a month and a half after Mr Zelenskyy criticised his visit to Moscow in July, when he met President Vladimir Putin on the day Russian missiles struck across Ukraine, killing scores of people.
Mr Zelensky described that meeting as a “huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts”. He also criticised Mr Modi for hugging Mr Putin during their meeting.
India has avoided condemning Russia’s invasion and instead has urged Moscow and Kyiv to resolve the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
Mr Modi’s visit is the first by an Indian premier to Ukraine since the two countries established diplomatic relations more than 30 years ago.
